AWARENESS SESSION

COVID-19 (PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE),

NEW VARIANT (OMICRON),
IMPORTANCE OF BOOSTER DOSE
 ABOUT COVID-19
SYMPTOMS
COMPLICATIONS
PRECAUTIONS
INFECTION CONTROL
IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER
DIFFERENT VARIENT
BOOSTER DOSE
What is a novel coronavirus??

• Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses

that cause a wide range of illness from the
common cold to more severe diseases
• i.e., Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [MERS] and
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome [SARS]

• A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has

not been previously identified in humans.
On 31 December 2019, Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China
• Incubation period - current estimates of the incubation
period of the virus range: 1-12.5 days (median 5-6 days).
• Estimates will be refined as more data become available.
■ More information needed to determine whether
transmission can occur from asymptomatic individuals or
during the incubation period.
• Modes of transmission: droplets sprayed by affected
individuals, contact with patient respiratory secretions,
contaminated surfaces and equipment.
• Transmission from animals and human-to-human.
Modes of transmission: direct modes
Direct contact
Direct contact occurs through touching; an
individual may transmit microorganisms to others
by skin-skin contact or contact with surfaces, soil
or vegetation

Droplet spread
Droplet spread refers to spray with relatively
large, short-range aerosols produced by
sneezing, coughing, or even talking
Indirect modes
Indirect contact:
Indirect transmission refers to the transfer of an infectious
agent from a reservoir to a host

Airborne transmission occurs when infectious agents

are carried by dust or droplet nuclei suspended in air

Vehicles may indirectly transmit an infectious agent

Vectors may carry an infectious agent or may support

growth or changes in the agent
 COVID-19 signs and symptoms

Illness seems to start

 ■ Early Stage:
Advanced Stage:
■Fever (>38C)
■ AND All of the earlier
■Respiratory symptoms: symptoms plus
• Cough • Pneumonia
• Bronchitis
• Shortness of breath
• Runny nose
COMPLICATIONS
• Weakness Acute Respiratory Failure
• Malaise Acute Respiratory Distress
Syndrome (ARDS)
• Nausea/vomiting
Acute Liver Injury
• Diarrhea Acute Cardiac Injury
• Headache Secondary Infection or multi-organ
failure
Septic Shock
General WHO advice for COVID-19

• Avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory

infections
• Frequent hand hygiene, especially after direct contact with ill people
or their environment
• People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice
respiratory etiquette, wear a medical mask and seek medical care if
in respiratory distress
Elements of Standard Precautions
1. Hand hygiene
2. Respiratory hygiene (etiquette)
3. PPE according to the risk
4. Safe injection practices, sharps management and injury prevention
5. Safe handling, cleaning and disinfection of patient care equipment
6. Environmental cleaning
7. Safe handling and cleaning of soiled linen
8. Waste management
Chain of Transmission

• For an infection to spread, all links must be connected

• Breaking any one link, will stop disease transmission!
Hand Hygiene
• Best way to prevent the spread of germs in the health
care setting and community
• Our hands are our main tool for work as health care
workers- and they are the key link in the chain of
transmission

Door handles Instruments

Medication

Cellphones Caregivers
Respiratory hygiene/etiquette procedures
• Turn head away from others when
coughing/sneezing
• Cover the nose and mouth with a
tissue.
• If tissues are used, discard
immediately into the trash
• Cough/sneeze into your sleeve if
no tissue is available
• Clean your hands with soap and
water or alcohol-based products
Important points to remember:
• Drinking plenty of water
• Rest
• Taking over the counter pain-relievers
• Stay home
• Wear mask when you are round other people
• Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue, not your hands
• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water at least 20 sec if water
not available use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Clean frequently touched objects and surfaces with a household disinfectant
COVID Variants: What You Should Know

■ Coronavirus variants are classified in different categories by

organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
■ A variant of interest is a coronavirus variant that, compared to earlier
forms of the virus, has genetic characteristics that predict greater
transmissibility, evasion of immunity or diagnostic testing or more severe
disease.
■ A variant of concern has been observed to be more infectious, more
likely to cause breakthrough or re-infections in those who are vaccinated
or previously infected. These variants are more likely to cause severe
disease, evade diagnostic tests, or resist antiviral treatment. Alpha, beta,
gamma, and delta variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are classified
as variants of concern.
■  It may be more advantageous for a respiratory virus to evolve so
that it spreads more easily.( less deadly , more transmissibility)
■ On the other hand, mutations that make a virus more deadly may
not give the virus an opportunity to spread efficiently. “If we get too
sick or die quickly from a particular virus, the virus has less
opportunity to infect others. However, as we have seen with delta,
more infections from a faster-spreading variant will lead to more
hospitalizations and deaths,”( more deadly, less transmissibility)
BOOSTER SHOTS: What You Need to Know

■ A COVID booster shot is an additional dose of a vaccine given after the protection
provided by the original shot(s) has begun to decrease over time.

Who can get a COVID-19 vaccine booster?

The CDC recommends a COVID-19 booster if you are 18 or older and:
•Received the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.
•Received both shots of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least six
months ago. 
Individuals who have a medical condition associated with immunosuppression are
eligible to receive an additional vaccine dose.
What are COVID booster side effects?

■ After getting vaccinated for COVID-19, you might experience some temporary
symptoms similar to those you might notice when you get a flu shot, such as a sore,
swollen arm where you got the shot. You might run a fever and experience body aches,
headaches and tiredness for a day or two. Chills, swollen lymph nodes can also occur.
■ These symptoms do not mean you are sick. They signal that your immune system is
responding to the shots and building up protection against the coronavirus.
 The rise of new variants highlights the
responsibility wealthy countries have in
vaccinating the rest of the world as well
as their own populations … Nobody is
safe until everybody is safe.
THANK YOU